The present invention is directed to a baggage screening system and method and, in particular, to an automated system utilizing automatic baggage screen device(s). The present invention is particularly useful for screening baggage for explosive devices and/or weapons. The invention may be useful for screening baggage at airports, but may be used for screening baggage at other locations.
Baggage screening systems are used to detect explosives and/or weapons in baggage checked with an airline, or the like. While carryon baggage has been screened for many years, there is a requirement that checked baggage be screened as well. While carryon bags are transported by the passenger through the screening process, there is no corresponding individual to process checked baggage through a screening system. As a result, attempts have been made at utilizing conveyor systems to transport baggage to one or more automated baggage screen devices and from the screen devices to the bag room.
While presently proposed systems facilitate the transport of baggage through the screening process, they are by no means operator-free. Baggage systems often handle bags in a random fashion, allowing the bags to become clustered and reoriented as the bags move through the system. The bags are then queued at an automatic baggage screening device which results in starting and stopping of the bags as they move up in the queue. The result is that opportunities are present for the bags to jam, especially during heavy traffic periods. Cameras are provided to monitor areas of frequent jamming in order to allow operators to detect and manually free up a jam. This results in a significant labor content in the baggage screening system which increases the cost of baggage screening. Moreover, jams increase the likelihood of damage to the bags and the contents thereof.